Lorca to Villamayor de Monjardin
Book - 10.56 miles
Map My Walk - 11.91 miles, 6 hours
Fit Bit 30,403 steps, 12.96 miles
Similar country side today....but we liked yesterday better because there was more farmland and we were beside a river.
We left just shortly after the crack of dawn because we wanted to make sure to get to our destination before all the desireable albergues were filled. It's a little tricky planning your distances. If we can really only do 10-13 miles a day without nearly dying, then you want to stay within a mile or two of that preferred village. Today our preferred town is Villamayor.......but after that, the next town is 7.5 miles away - way too far away. Thus our plan to leave at first light.
See? Really early, long shadows on the trail. We tried for our heart shaped pose but it looks like a giant clothes pin.
We ate breakfast at the first bench we came to - trying to eat quickly so few other early rising peregrinos would pass us.
Let me tell you about bread. The very best is the yummy artisan bread - the kind that causes abrasions on the roof of your mouth. You can't always find that. In Pamplona we got some non artisan bread in a grocery store and found it was awful. Reading the bag after we bought and tried to eat it, we determined it was non gluten, non lactose, non wheat and non swallow able. We actually left it on a park bench for someone in great need.
So for today's breakfy and lunch we took a chance again and bought little soft buns that turned out to be sweet and yummy. Not exactly suitable for salami but then were pilgrims. Made by Bimbos which added to our worries.
Some random pictures.
Previously we'd seen the big wind turbines. Today we saw a cowboy windmill.
Donkeys - that did not like the fact that we were behind them
More flowers for Jessica and Bev
Our new favorite drink. AquArius.
A sign on outskirts of Estella that the ancient Codex Calixtinus ( the original guide book) that describes, "Estella is full of good bread and the best wine and meat and fish, and plenty of all good things."
We found this "fortress" church up a long flight of steps. Was it actually opened? Dad said he saw an open door, so up we went
Outside door open but interior door seems closed
A leap of faith and the door opens
Went inside, but I couldn't determine the style or year of the crucifix. But the arch over door was nice with Arab influence.
Finally got through the city of Estella. (I've decided I don't like cities any more.) In the distance we saw
Oh no!!!!! Surely we don't have to go up- over-down. Surely not not to the top!
The trail is taking is directly. We can see a ruin on the top
Got to our preferred alberge but it was "completo". I knew we should have left earlier this morning. We were directed to go up the road (literally up) and around to a casa rural which is a bed and breakfast-a higher eschelon of accommodation ----but super comfy. 
Back yard with our clothes drying
And looking out our bedroom window--- yes the tip of the mountain with the ancient castle. So we almost went all the way to the top after all
We're going to a bar now - for dinner. Hopefully it has wifi so we can send this.
I wonder why foreign places always seem more picturesque? And thank you for flower pictures. So pretty!
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